Friday, September 30, 2016

THE RICH FIDDLE WHILE THE PLANET BURNS

Until this summer, Arctic sea ice prevented luxury cruise ships from using the famed Northwest Passage. The sea route, which connects the northern Pacific and the Northern Atlantic via the Arctic Ocean across the north coast of the North American Continent, was known for centuries to explorers seeking a possible trade route.

The Arctic ice pack, however, prevented any use of the route for trade or other purposes until 2009, when marine shipping began to be possible due to the rapid melting of Arctic sea ice. This melting has been one of the most dramatic and obvious impacts of runaway anthropogenic climate disruption (ACD).